Resume Writing Tips - How to Write a Professional Resume

Writing a winning resume can be daunting. You may wonder if you have enough information to fill a page or if your experience will be impressive enough to command the attention of a potential employer. The first step to compiling a comprehensive list of your past accomplishments is to ask yourself some questions about your past career experiences and your career goals.

Begin with an examination of your reasons for needing a resume. While this may sound elementary, compelling reasons for needing a resume go beyond, "I want to get a new job."

5 Top Tips For An Effective Executive CV Presentation!

For the most effective Executive CV Presentation, there are 5 important elements to include for maximum impact. Your CV must gain some serious attention and immediately grab the reader. If your CV is just average, there will be plenty of others whose CVs are well above average in this competitive environment, so you need to be able to make yours shine out. Let me show you what you need to do with these 5 top tips.

1. Your Profile or Summary Statement

Interview Question - Tell Me a Problem You Once Had on the Job and How You Solved It?

With so much competition these days in the job market, it is not easy to land a good job. Interviews are becoming tougher and tougher every day as interviewers try very hard to weed out candidates in order to select the best and the most qualified for the position.

This weed out process is done by asking candidates tough interview questions during the interview. A popular interview question often asked by almost every interviewer, which every candidate should be prepared for is;

"Tell me a problem you once had on the job and how you solved it?

Career Success - Tips On How To Keep Your Career Up-To-Date!!

Here we are early in 2008 and many are taking a long look at their career plans. Here are some ideas that should help you keep your career on track or help you in your career planning.

Take time to evaluate your present and future position. 

Set aside some time every three months or so to seriously evaluate where you are and where you want to be. Keep alert to what is going on around you. What is going on in your industry or market niche? Are there challenges your company is facing related to government actions? Are there new tools or techniques that will impact your career or job?

Insurance Job Interview Advice - Ten Foolproof Tips for Getting Insurance Jobs

Insurance job interviews are never easy. It's difficult to make a good impression & even harder to impress your interviewer. We've come up with ten top tips to help you get the insurance job you'd been hoping for.

1. Learn About the Company - you can never be over-prepared for a job interview. Spend some time browsing the insurance company's website. Learn about their products & services as well as their competitors. It will make you seem much more knowledgeable and show that you are taking the interview seriously.

Job Search Campaign Tips - Job Hunting and Interview Preparation Guidance

This Job Search Guide provides practical guidance and information and on how to secure the job of your choice.

Ideally you should progress your job search through two key phases:-

• Create your Plan & Implement
• Manage your Plan towards Success

PHASE 1 - CREATE YOUR PLAN & IMPLEMENT

Key steps in your plan should include the following:-

STEP 1. Focus on Your Preferred Career / Job Search Target (s)

Research: Take time to carefully research the job market into which you want to move:-

Looking for Basic Career Change Advice? - Have a Targeted Job Search Strategy

The best career change advice is this -- have a laser like focus in your approach to job search. Without this, you're setting yourself up for frustration, disappointment and rejection, and possibly a very long wait before career change becomes a reality for you. The current jobs market is tough with a recent article in USA Today describing the 2011 jobs market as being a buyers market. 

Therefore, to be successful in your job search, you will need to be selective about which employers you approach. You'll also need to communicate with them in a way which clearly sets you apart from other job candidates.

Career Change Job Search: Job Interview Tips!

Career change job search: job interview tips to elevate your interview performance.

In your career change job search you've learned that preparation is everything. From the job search itself, to networking, to drafting a consistent quality resume and cover letter.

Now you've survived a telephone interview and have a job interview scheduled. Aside from looking and dressing for success, showing up ten minutes early, having prepared 50 great answers to 50 tough interview questions, role-playing the interview with a friend, carrying the right materials with you and doing the research on the company the job and the person interviewing you, you have one key thing yet to do.

Important Tips to Crack That Dream Job Interview - Don't Commit Blunders Like All Others

So, finally the day has arrived when you are face to face with the dream job that you always yearned for. There are butterflies in your stomach and sweat on your forehead that well indicates the 'do or die' situation you are in. Well, let's make things a little easier for you! We will provide you with some valuable tips that will come handy while appearing for your dream job interviews.

These tips will help you in handling yourself in a graceful manner, thereby making a positive impression on the interviewers.

Interview Question - Tell Me a Problem You Once Had on the Job and How You Solved It?

With so much competition these days in the job market, it is not easy to land a good job. Interviews are becoming tougher and tougher every day as interviewers try very hard to weed out candidates in order to select the best and the most qualified for the position.

This weed out process is done by asking candidates tough interview questions during the interview. A popular interview question often asked by almost every interviewer, which every candidate should be prepared for is;

The Top 4 Job Hunting and Career Planning Tips During a Recession

Is the recession really putting a damper on your career planning process? It's hard to move up the ladder and land your dream job when you're not even getting interview requests. It's important to not lose hope, however. From hiring a professional resume writer to changing your career planning agenda, there are several things you can do to boost your chances of getting hired. Here are the top four tips and tricks to help you score the job you've always dreamed of:

• Brush up on your skills. Anyone who is serious about career planning knows that you've got to keep your skills relevant. Often times, this translates to taking a class on the latest computer programs or educating yourself about the latest things going on in your industry. If you know what you're doing, you're more likely to get hired.

Tips on Changing Careers - Establishing a Workable Career Plan

7 Steps to Help You Change Careers and Establish a Workable Career Plan

If you are thinking of a career change or if you are trying to lay out a tangible career plan for yourself, there are several important things to consider.

Step One - Self Assessment

Self-Assessment is an important first step in considering where you are currently and discovering what direction you would like to go in the future. Some questions you might ask yourself include:

Interview For a Job - Common Skills - Top 10 Most Sought After Skills by Employers

As a candidate you can do all the right things to get you across the table for an interview but you must understand and know the skills employers are looking for in a potential hire.

It is highly unwise during the interview to just say you have these skills and tie it to nothing. Use the 30 minutes interview time wisely to impress upon the interviewer by connecting your skills with your job experience and cite examples if possible. Let's examine some of the interview for job skills that make employers salivate with excitement. These are listed in no order of priority.

1. Communication skill
This skill is the ability to speak, write and listen. Effective communication is all about conveying your message clearly to other people either by writing or speaking. A candidate who can convey thoughts and ideas effectively and get the message across is a good communicator.

2. Problem solving skill.

PSS as it is referred to, is the ability to solve problems. Every employer around the globe is looking for this skill in a candidate. Think of this, without this skill we would be still living in caves. This skill requires you to put your troubleshooting mind to work on every aspects of work. If you are this person who likes to figure out and fix things, resolve issues etc. then watch out employers are looking for you.

3. Decision making skill

This is an essential skill for every career success. Making timely and well considered decisions to save time and money for the company can be fruitful for your team. Respect is earned quickly and you can be perceived by your peers as a leader, may be a promotion is forthcoming. Every employer would love an employee with this skill.

4. People skill

The ability to interact at all levels. This person is a professional with interpersonal skills whose involvement with peers and work groups, together as a team working on projects to achieve a common goal.

5. Team player

This is the ability to work with others within a team environment, sharing ideas to accomplish a common task or goal. A team player does not dominate the spotlight but listen to other people opinion and handles constructive criticism very well.

6. Analytical Skill

This deals with your ability to assess a situation thoroughly, put all key information into perspective and highlight issues to be addressed. Take action and resolve all issues identified in your report.

7. Multitasking Skill

This is the ability to work on multiple projects at the same time. This is truly a remarkable skill employers are drooling for because it shows how well a candidate can handle multiple jobs and at the same time work well under pressure. This is by far the most popular interview for job skills for employers.

8. Computer Skills

Every job now require some basic understanding of computer language especially word processing, spreadsheet, email, internet etc. This is a definite must of every candidate.

9. Organizational Skills

This ability to put things in the order of priority, plan and execute within an allotted time frame.

10. Management Skills

This is the candidate ability to manage or supervise employees in the organization. This skill comes with a long list of responsibilities as the candidate must possess most or all of the key skills mentioned above. In addition this management skill requires you to delegate, motivate, handle conflict resolution, and make quick decisions, take risks etc. and keeping the best interest of the company at hand.

By Diana Camacho

Approximately 80% of work is being completed by 20% of people who are employed. Well, this thumb rule is true regardless of the type or the size of any organization. However, common sense career advice conveys that people must work hardly to make themselves among the top twenties who are keen in getting their job done. Job security has become a top concern, especially in these hectic times of economic insecurity.

Take a look at some of the career advices which you can make use of to fulfill your goals and become one among the top 20's.

• Get to know about the expectations from your job. Ask for directions from your boss.

•  Monitor and document all you performances inside the organization month-by-month. Learn from your mistakes.

•  Keep a track of the performance appraisal given to you. Based on your performance appraisals, you can make corrections over your career path.

• Plan you work accordingly and set career goals with actions and timeliness.

• Stay up-to-date with all the events taking place inside the organization.

•  Prepare a fallback plan covering actions you would take if you were to lose your job.

• Do more with fewer resources and prove yourself.

• Come up with latest ideas and be keen in taking initiatives.

• Try to solve all the problems, don't create them.

• Be a team leader. Make sure to share the workload so that you will be credited for your excess workloads.

There are so many ways through which you can set your career path to the right direction. Will power and strong determination will determine success in your career. Feel happy to receive career advice from experienced people. Remember, you are going to gain and not going to lose.

By Janani Jaan

Career Day Planning - Two Ways on How You Can Approach Your Career Day Planning

If you are really serious about pursuing a career in a chosen field or doing some serious research on what is available, career day planning should begin well in advance of the event. There are two ways on how you can approach your career day planning.

The first one involves some preparation. The second however, primarily involves keeping an open mind about what may be available on the career day event.


As with any important activity in life, whether it is work, sports or family activity, preparation is important. This great sales tip may work well as part of career day planning - Do not go into a meeting or sales presentation without being prepared. Don't just wing it!

As one career counselor emphasizes - Market yourself. Of course, one other essential factor in preparation involves having several copies of the resume available. Take more copies to the event than you think you might need!

Experts in career day planning and job counseling always recommend that the job seeker wear "professional" clothing. While the description of the term "professional" can vary, it would probably be best not to attend career day events in blue jeans, tennis shoes or a floppy hat that is usually worn on the weekend. The visual impression a job seeker makes on company representatives is a very important factor in whether or not that individual will be considered for the job.

In addition to giving some thought to the clothes that will be worn, career day planning should always include some research into the employers who will be present at the event. While it may not be productive to spend a lot of time on all the details, more information is generally better than none or too little. This may be one of the keys to a successful career day.

Job seekers should be familiar with the companies they want to visit with. Representatives will remember those who have solid knowledge of the business that may be their employer for life.

Tip: Make this research a key part of career day planning.

The second way to look at career day planning does not actually involve a lot of planning. However, it may be wise to plan for a small percentage of time (and mental energy) for options other than those key, targeted companies. Arriving early, when company representatives are fresh and energetic, is the best idea for success.

With good preparation and focus, a job seeker can make contact with all of the employers of interest, and still have time to "cruise" about to see if there are other possibilities that were not apparent before the event. Be prepared, be positive and good luck!

By Ray Baron

Job Interview Skills - How to Deal With Unusual, Irrelevant Or Stupid Questions at Interviews

Yes, it actually happens - employers surprisingly ask irrelevant or stupid questions during a job interview! It may sound inappropriate but actually, it's not. In today's employment environment, each job interview is unique. Regardless of what position you are applying for, remember that each company and its interviewers have their own corporate culture and requirements when screening their candidates. Moreover, they also have their own preferences for interview questions.

A Job interview is a 'give and take' process. Employers sometimes include questions that are outside the realm of what would be considered as normal aspects for a job interview. Such methods are designed to test how the interviewee responds to unexpected or even uncomfortable situations. It is also a method of determining an applicant's skills and creativity in dealing any situation that might arise in a real working environment.

While some employers may ask a question like "What was the last movie you watched?" others actually asks extraneous questions such as "What would I find in your vanity kit?". These questions can either make an applicant stumble and laugh or confidently, and perhaps wittingly, answer the question. Consequently this could make her/him stand out from the competition. Often, it could be a decisive factor for employers to either consider or eliminate a candidate's suitability for the position. 

While unique interview questions vary greatly, there are helpful steps that job aspirants can take to prepare themselves for such an eventuality.

Firstly remember that 'practice makes perfect', especially at job interviews. Conducting a mock interview with the help of a family member or friend can be a very helpful exercise. If you feel such practice is insufficient, then think of other methods that can be used to help you remain comfortable at all times throughout any interview process.

Secondly, job seekers should thoroughly re-acquaint themselves with their own background, experiences, and skills. Although it may sound peculiar, some people surprisingly do lose track of their own past achievements and hardly give a full answer to even basic questions. Job seekers should therefore refresh their memories before the interview and if necessary take some simple notes in to the interview with them..

Finally, always remember that a successful job interview is not only dependent upon how fast you are able to answer questions. It is also about showing confidence while answering questions and ensuring your interviewer is satisfied with your answers. Job interviews are aimed at measuring competency and to observe the personal style of each applicant. Hence applicants may take their time in answering each question asked. It is also a good job interview technique to ask clarifying questions or even to request a moment to think, so that you can respond factually and honestly rather than simply blabbing out some less sensible thought or even creating a fallacy.

Whilst job interviews can follow different styles and methods, each contributes in its own way to discovering as much as possible about the candidate, and indeed the organization, involved.

By Wendy Gorman

Career Advancement - Tips to Improve Your Career Advancement Opportunities

Most people will agree that when it comes to career advancement, the ladder to success can be a steep one to climb. One of the ways to improve your career advancement opportunities and be a step ahead of your rivals is to work harder and do some serious planning and preparation.

In an average person's working career, it is estimated that most of use will make between six to ten jobs or career changes, hence the reason why career advancement is absolutely necessary. You have to be sure that your employer is aware that you are looking for career advancement.

Experts believe that the most suitable time for you to pursue a new job or career advancement is when you have been employed for some time but find your existing position to offer less challenges. Start off by seeking a higher-level promotion within the company, or if there are no career advancement opportunities in your existing workplace, you can begin to look for a new job somewhere else.

Here are some ideas and tips for helping people looking for career advancement opportunities.

There are several ways to increase your value within the company or organization such as seeking more responsibilities or additional work and offering to help other teams, departments or advisory boards. This is a great way to show how dedicated and passionate you are to the company or industry.

Have a meaningful, direct conversation about your career advancement future with your boss, stressing your desire to meet the company's job performance goals and your own personal career goals. Find a trusted advisor and mentor for career guidance and information, either within or outside the business, as studies prove that they directly influence many company promotions.

Develop strong people and social skills such as being amiable, outgoing, friendly, and an effective and clear communicator with outstanding listening skills plays an important role in gaining your coworkers, boss's and outside influences respect. These skills also help you in self-promotion or selling yourself by letting people know about your job skills and successful activities, which could help you in your career advancement plans.

Use your effective communication skills to let the influential people know about your career advancement or promotion seeking plans. Always look professional by being well groomed and dressing appropriately. Your work reputation is exceptionally vital so act in a professional manner by being professional and cooperative regardless of the situation.

People interested in career advancement should always continue to learn, gain new knowledge, keep up with the recent developments and trends in their line of business, and be innovative. Always have a current, up to date resume available, as you never know when you might need it.
By Ray Baron

How To Get A Job Without Experience - Sell Yourself Just As You Would If You Were A Salesperson

It's easier to find a job than you think. You don't need experience, you just think you do; perhaps that is just your excuse because your job search isn't going quite well - Nobody's hiring me because I don't have any relevant work experience. Bad excuse!

Back when I first finished school I didn't have any experience either. I did what everybody else did - I sent resumes in response to job ads in the classifieds. That didn't work. Then I got creative. I was specifically looking for a sales job because that's what I thought that I would like.

I thought to myself, what is a sales manager looking for when hiring a salesperson? I knew the answer. A sales manager wants somebody that can sell. How can I show that I could sell without actually having a track record? I could show him.

Here's what I did.
I was targeting a B2B job selling copiers. I picked out a few prospects and called the sales managers in those offices. I didn't call to ask for a job (not at first). I called the sales manager (cold call) pretending to be an office cleaner and tried to sell him my services.

I really wasn't an office cleaner. I was playing a role. I was pretending. I just wanted to be able to showcase my sales skills. It worked! The sales managers were impressed. I soon had a handful of job offers to choose from.

Of course, showcasing your sales skills with a fake cold call won't help you get anything other than a sales job, but that's not the point. The point is that you can be creative no matter what type of job you are looking for. Just find a way to showcase your skills without actually doing what everybody else does when looking for a job (sending dozens of resumes while hoping for a call back).

Short advice but It works!

By Tino Toskala

10 Golden Ways to Find a Job in 10 Days During a Recession

It can help you find jobs on the market in your industry whether you are looking for a sales job or technology job, this article can help you find a recruiter, has interview tips, and will help you negotiate your job offer letter. With the recession there are a lot of job seekers, and this article includes how to find a job during the recession.

• Prepare yourself. This involves rewriting your resume and buying the right interview outfit. Practice your interview in the mirror and prepare for tough questions, such as an interviewer asking you to describe a time you helped your company when you didn't have to, or what your weakest trait is. Make sure you have your resume on hand when you do finally attend the job interview, along with any presentation papers that you feel will help you land the job.

• Find a recruiter. Go to a recruiter directory such as to find a list of recruiters in your area. Once you are at the recruiter directory you should be able to do a search by industry or location. It is important not to narrow your industry too much, as you want to keep an open job search so you don't limit your results. Let the recruiter know if you are willing to relocate, that way they can search for jobs for you in other areas, with will expand your options dramatically.

• Get all the job details. Be sure to ask the recruiter you are working with for specific details when they have an interview scheduled for you. Good questions to ask are if there are if this is a replacement position or a newly created job title. If it is a replacement position be sure to inquire as to why the previous employee did not work out. You can also ask if there are other candidates in the pipeline for this position and if there are other candidates who are no longer being considered. If there are, why didn't they make the cut? What does the recruiter recommend you do to avoid that problem? Keep in mind the recruiter is on your side, and while they want to be sure they hire the right person for the job, it makes their job easier if you get hired.

• Presentation is everything. Many people don't realize how important presentation is when going to a job interview. Not tucking in your shirt could literally cost you the job. Your resume should be carried in a briefcase, folder, or something similar. Shoving your resume in your pocket does not look good when applying for a job. Even if you are applying for a casual job, you are gong to want to dress professional for the interview.

• Arrive on Time. Make sure you have the right company directions. Arrive early, not on time. If you plan on arriving on time there is a good chance that there will be something unexpected, such as traffic that will make you late. Plan as much as you can ahead of time, and even find alternate routes 'just in case'.

• Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Make sure that you have are applying to several different jobs. Not only will you get hired sooner, but you may even find yourself in a position where you have multiple offers. That is always the best case scenario, as then you can pick your favorite company and/or compensation package.

• Concentrate on what the company wants first. The last thing you want to do in an interview is ask about the compensation package and benefits first. Remember, the company probably has several people interviewing and will choose the person they think is the best, not the candidate who likes the comp package the most.

Remember, you are trying to sell your resume, experience and services to the company. While asking questions about how the company works shows interest, asking about the salary is not something that should be brought up until the offer letter is presented. Feel free, however, to ask the recruiter. They are a third party and want to make sure they have a good match between employer and employee and that includes what the company is paying and your salary expectations.

• Do Your Research. Be sure to research the company and what they do. If you have questions about the company that show you have done your research, chances are the hiring manager will be impressed. If you ask a bunch of questions that show you have no idea as to how the company works, that will come off less than impressive.

• 9. Follow Up. Be sure to get the interviewers e-mail address so that you can send them a thank you e-mail to follow up. Let them know that you enjoyed the interview and look forward to working with them, even if you haven't been hired yet. Tell them you were impressed with the interview and their organization and be sure to include why. Inquire as to what the next steps will be. Follow up with the recruiter and find out if they received feedback. If you did not get the position, ask the recruiter why so that you may use that advice for future interviews.

• Don't Reject, Negotiate. If you like the organization you interviewed for, and could see yourself working there, don't outright reject an offer that doesn't seem realistic. They might be just giving you a lowball offer to test your waters. Let the job recruiter know what your minimum conditions are and ask for a counter offer. Be careful going too high, don't forget there is a chance your counter offer will just be rejected and that will be the end of it. Ask yourself if you can afford to take that chance in this economy. Keep in mind there aren't that many companies hiring right now and it is very hard to find a job. Another technique is to gently mention the other offers you have on the table to the recruiter.

By Jacqueline Valentine

Job Search Game Plan - Ten Powerful Tips To Keep You Motivated In Your Job Search!

We don't engage in a job search very often. Thus our frame of reference can quickly get out of focus and our whole job hunting effort can easily get derailed. Here are ten powerful tips to keep in mind as you work hard at your job search.

1. Don't let the negatives overpower you. In every job search there will be frequent rejections. Phone calls will not be returned. Resumes will fall into a "black hole," with no answer in sight. You will in short order feel like a failure. You will be waiting on someone else to take action, so there is the constant feeling of a lack of control.

Don't let any of these potential negatives sap your confidence or make you fearful of taking action. Remember, for every "no," you are one step closer to the desired "yes."

2. The future is where you should spend your time. Thinking about what you want and how you are going to get there is the most productive way to spend your time. You can't change the past except to learn for it.

3. Super size your job goal. What sort of job would be ideal? Think about the details of the desired job. Replay in your mind your mental picture of the ideal job. Do it several times a day. Don't let anything get in the way of your planned job.

4. Network to your advantage. Study how to make the best use of contacts. Feed off their positive energy. Since most jobs are found through some form of networking, it makes sense to spend the majority of your job hunting time in the networking area.

5. Resume writing is an art not necessarily a science. But one thing is clear; you have to make the connection in seconds. So design and format your resume to make the desired impression in those first few seconds. Be ruthless is deciding what needs to be important.

6. Focus writing the resume on your achievements. Prospective employers need someone to help solve problems. Experience and skills are important but not as important as quantifiable achievements. Highlight your achievements that match what the employer is searching for-this will lead to the desired job.

7. Practice, practice and practice some more. The best athletics know that they will play the game like they practice. The field goal kicker, who makes the long winning field goal in the last few seconds, has practiced that kick hundreds if not thousands of times.

Practice the telephone and face-to-face interview. Use a video cam and tape recorder to your advantage. Get input on you resume and your overall job search. Look for ideas to make your job search more efficient and focused.

8. Use lists to your advantage. Write out your daily, weekly and monthly activity goals. Work hard at moving the job hunting project forward. Develop a winning job search strategy by realistically working full time daily in your job search.

9. Don't accept excuses. Don't listen to that voice in your head that is telling you you'll make that follow-up call when you are in the mood. Or perhaps you'll make the call tomorrow because no one is in the office on Friday or at noon. Or maybe you'll call a possible contact next week because today you've got to cut the grass or wash the car. Be ruthless about making the best use of your time-every day.

10. Giving up is not an option. Persistence will win the day. If you expect your ship to come in you have to put a lot of ships out on the job search ocean.

With these ten powerful strategies you can turn an unfocused job hunt into a productive project that will yield you, as quickly as possible, the ideal job.

By John Groth

Career Counseling for Change - Five Important Keys to a Successful Direction and Transition

Are you unsatisfied with your career and want to make a change? Do you feel like you are not achieving your full career potential? Do you want to make a change, but want to make sure it is the right career this time? Don't know what you want to do, but know its not what you do now?

People are most fulfilled and successful when they find work they love to do and that suits their talents and abilities. This article shares five important keys to making a successful career change. Some concepts may be new to you, some may not. I encourage you to read through them either way, and let them stimulate your thinking. The exercises included are optional, but you are invited to reap

the full benefits by participating in them.
Key #1: Establish a career direction based on excellent self-understanding.

The first stages of a career change involve thinking, self-assessment, exploring, and planning. You can embark on these steps now--without disrupting your current employment situation. After you know more about your new direction, you can decide when to make your move. A career-direction goal should always aim for the ideal career and job fit for yourself.

The first steps to identifying the ideal career involve self-assessment and generating insights into what career will make you most satisfied while meeting your needs. Research shows that people who are most satisfied and motivated in their careers are people who have a career that reflects their values, interests, skills, and talents plus their ideal work environment.

How can you clarify these kinds of self-understanding insights? You can do this first of all through a process of reflection on your favorite passions, skills, and interests as well as preferences. Career tests or assessments can also provide help here, and lend some objectivity to the exploration. There are a number of reliable and valid career-oriented tests that are widely available through career counselors and coaches.
Career counseling is geared exactly for this purpose. You may enjoy and benefit from the guidance of a counselor or coach to facilitate the development of a career direction based on who you are. This kind of self-understanding then translates into identifying specific careers that match up with who you are, and are likely to bring you the most satisfaction and motivation.

Here are some tips:
 Think ideally. What do you really want?

• Listen to your longings and desires.

• Pay attention to what attracts you.

• Stay away from things that repel you.

•  Understand fully your unique style.

As you go about a career change, it is important to realize you cannot do everything well. You must choose a career direction and a job based on your best abilities and strengths. There are businesses that very much need the capabilities that you are able to provide.

Key #2: To a successful career change is to take stock of your skills, natural talents, competencies, and strengths, and to be able to articulate these well to potential employers as well as others.
Go with your strengths, and be able to communicate them impressively.If you think you have already identified your skills, talents, and strengths, and are looking for work that emphasizes these, great.
Take this opportunity to ask yourself, "Am I successfully saying no to careers and jobs that do not focus on my favorite skills, talents, and strengths?"

Focus your career direction into a career and job for which you are especially equipped. Each person has natural talent and intelligence in one or more areas. The idea is to be very clear on what you are naturally gifted at and let your talents guide you to your next career.
To further discover or clarify where your strengths and talents fall, think back on your life and previous work experience. What tasks and projects came easiest to you? What were the most important accomplishments in your life? What have you received the most recognition for?
You may want to ask several friends what they see as your greatest professional strengths. Career assessment can also yield good information. Take stock. Write down a list now. What themes emerge as you reflect on this?

This is a valuable exercise for self-understanding and career direction, but also when it comes to getting a job. The better you can articulate who you are and the talents and skills you bring to a business, the better impression you make on a potential employer.
There are a number of variables to consider in choosing a career or a job, including the market realities. This brings us to another concept that is necessary to be successful in your transition.

Key #3: To identify a career that involves what you love to do, can be the best at, and for which you can be well compensated.
Imagine a Ven diagram consisting of three overlapping circles. One circle represents those activities, tasks, functions, and roles that you love to do. All of us at one time or another have experienced doing work that really did not seem like work because we enjoyed doing it. That's what I mean by work that you love to do.
The second circle represents work that you have the potential to be best at--work that you can do better than most others. This means tasks and projects that you have the right skills and natural talent for, and excel at. Work that you will be highly competitive at and perhaps (potentially) better than anyone else.

The third circle represents work that you will be paid well for. If there is work that you love to do and are great at, it will not matter unless someone will compensate you what you need. It is important to understand and take into account the realities of the job market.

Now, in this Ven diagram, the three circles overlap with each other equally. In the center is an area where the three circles converge and all three circles are overlapping. This is the area that represents the right career(s) for you. You want to consider careers or jobs that align with these three areas--work that you love to do, can do best, and will be well- compensated for.

By the way, if this sounds similar to Jim Collin's Hedgehog Concept in his book "Good to Great", it is. It is an adaptation of his model for business success applied to career success. I highly recommend his book.
So now, I suggest you take a few minutes and apply this to yourself. Where is the convergence of these three circles for you? If you cannot discover this, how will you find out? When all is said and done, one of the biggest factors in a career transition is money. Although you may love the idea of quitting your job and jumping into your next career, financial realities are in play.

Key #4: To transition smoothly into your next career, plan the best
way to juggle the finances to support you along the way.
I know from my work as a career counselor and coach that the money issue can cause significant angst and difficulty. Here are some ideas for managing it well.

•  Use your current income wisely. If you have a job, keep it. There's a saying that its easier to get a job when you have one. Before initiating a move: increase your savings, reduce your expenses, live within, or better, below your means for a while.

•  Build cash reserves through supplementing your full-time job with other work. You can get a part-time job, do contract work, etc.

• Add a part-time business to your full-time job. If you must let go of your full-time job, then do what you can to produce an income while you are in transition.

• Get an interim full-time or part-time job.

• Do contract or freelance work.
• Have a well-paying part-time job while you work on starting a business, if that will be your next career.
• Use consulting gigs to generate income. Put your key strengths and capabilities to good use to generate income as a consultant while in transition.
• Work full-time or part-time while attending school to prepare for your next career, if that is your plan.

A number of these options also have fringe benefits. While providing income, you can hopefully put yourself in positions where you can develop skills, experience, or contacts for your next career. How will you make the finances work during your career transition? Take a few minutes and jot down your thoughts.

Key #5: Network, network, network.
People who are most successful at career change and job-hunting use methods that require more effort. People who are less successful do the usual: passive methods such as sending out resumes, going through agencies, looking at the ads, and using the Internet. There is nothing wrong with these methods; in a strong job market they may be sufficient.

More active approaches include researching organizations in detail, doing informational interviewing, and building a network of contacts. These methods involve more work, but they are also the most effective.
Despite the fact that we are in the age of the Internet (it is estimated that about 5 to 10% of jobs are filled by on-line job boards--not bad, but what about the other 90%?), networking is still the best strategy.
So, to be successful in making a career change, it really pays to build a strong list of contacts and reconnect with them. If you don't know how to network effectively or your skills could be better, it is a good time to work on this. Consider utilizing the help of a career counselor or coach.

Never underestimate who your friends and associates know. Keep track of your contacts as your list grows, and revitalize old relationships.

Your contacts may be the key to getting job leads, crucial inside information, getting the attention of whoever is hiring for the position you want, and many other valuable benefits. Many, many people have a job they love because they knew someone who knew someone.
Now comes the end of this article on keys to a successful career change.
Review:

•  Establish a career direction based on excellent self-understanding.

• Take stock of your skills, natural talents, competencies, and strengths, and be able to articulate these well.

• Identify a career that involves what you love to do, can be the best at, and for which you can be well compensated.

• Plan the best way to juggle the finances to support you along the way.

• Network, network, network.

I hope you have enjoyed this article and are now taking steps to make a great career change. What was the biggest thing you will take away from this? What questions remain unanswered? Where will you go from here? Write out your thoughts.

By Dr. Bill Morgan

Best Way To Change Careers - Use a Career Development Transition Model

Nowadays, career transition companies offer people who are thinking of a career change different programs and methods and are applicable for all ages of individuals. According to your needs, the career Seeker company will provide a variety of adult career development models. These companies cater to the needs of middle-aged professionals, young adults and executives who are all contemplating a professional career.

Very often, people find that the career they have chosen is not right for them. They realize that they are better suited for something else. They start growing stressed and weary about their work. They do not feel any job satisfaction. And all this leads to them bringing home work stress and taking it out on their family and friends.

If all this sounds familiar to you, it is time you seek expert advice. You can win this battle by settling for an adult career development transition model. It is not so easy to change careers. You can easily think that you'd like to be a photographer and start searching for jobs of that description. But when it is time to send your resume or attend an interview, you do not get the desired response and you do not know what education or skills you need in order to pursue photography.

There are many different ways of approaching career transition. First, analyze the stages of development you are going through. A career search does not involve finding a desired work alone. Your occupational career and your life career should fit together.

One career development model says that there are four factors based on which a person is ready to change careers. These are support, situation, strategies and her/his self. Of them, the first factor is self. How ready are you to make changes and seek a different career? It is always difficult to face change and so help from a suitable transition expert can be very beneficial. Your situation is the second factor. 

Suppose you need to start off on a rank that is lower, will you be willing to makea change like that? Can your routines hinder you from making this change happen? Is there some reason you cant make this change easily? Support comes next. Does anyone among your family and friends object to you changing your career or are they in compliance? The last factor is the strategies. These include the actions and plans that you make for making this change happen.

The internet has a number of career development transition model available which can offer you many approaches. You can find a company or a coach in career transition and seek their help to develop and head into the correct adult career development transition model. Be sure to check the net for experts in your local area.

By Abhishek Agarwal

Job Presentation Skills Rules - Why You're Anxious and What to Do About It

"I'll See It When I Believe It" is the title of a book by Wayne Dyer and it perfectly captures why people feel anxious when making a presentation. In fact, it represents why people feel anxious at any time.
Think about a situation where you experience anxiety. This could be on a job interview, a first date, travel to a new country or, what I am going to be mostly addressing, delivering a presentation. What exactly is making you anxious?

To understand this, you need to understand a bit of how our brains function.
Our brains are designed to ensure that we survive the future by predicting that future. When our existence depended on hunting, accurate predictions about where animals will graze ensured a food supply. If we can predict how an audience will respond to our presentation, then we can plan for how to handle that response. If we can predict the future, we can plan for any contingencies in that future.
 

Sometimes, this makes sense and works in our favor. For example, I live in Arizona. If I don't predict that it will be cold when I travel to see my sister in Chicago in January, I'm likely to bring the wrong clothes and suffer the consequences.

On a first date, we can select a restaurant to go to and predict what we should wear. Otherwise, we might be embarrassed showing up at a fancy restaurant in a t-shirt and jeans.
When planning for a presentation, we might find out the room we're going to be presenting in, the people who will be there and plan for what we will say all in the interest of predicting what will happen in the future so that we can prepare.

The problem is that, in all our predicting, we can never be sure of what will happen in the future. We can only predict based on what has happened in the past and hope that the future will be just like that. This leaves a vast landscape of the unpredictable. And since our predictions are based on the past, we bring to our awareness only the things that match our beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world. Everything else gets filtered out ("I'll see it when I believe it.").

If, for example, we predict that an audience will be hostile, that's what we are looking for, so even the most innocuous question might be interpreted as hostile. If we predict that we're going to be judged negatively, then when we see two people whispering, we'll think they're criticizing us. If we think that we're unprepared, forgetting what we're going to say even for a moment will be confirmation of how unprepared we are.

The key to successful performance in any realm whether a first date, travel or presenting, is to stay present (as in presentation skills).
There are lots of ways to do that but the easiest and most common one is to use your breath. Your breath is always in the present. You can't breathe in the future or in the past. You can only breathe in the present.

So if you notice yourself being anxious:

1. Take a slow breath in and count to 3.
2. Exhale slowly for a count of 9.
3. As you exhale, say the word "relax," or "present," or "peace" or whatever word has meaning for you.
Do this a few times as you are setting up your slides or arranging your notes or looking for a laser pointer or remote or taking a drink (only pretend this. Don't breathe as you drink).
I once saw a sign over a casino entrance that read, "You must be present to win."

Exactly.
I'm a consultant, speaker and author of "Present and Persuade: Create Talks and Speeches That Capture Hearts and Change Minds."
I title my articles "Presentation Skills Rules" for two reasons:
1. There are rules to presenting that, if followed, will make you a master of persuasive presentations.

2. Being a master of presentation skills means that you can rule over your audiences. Not in the sense of dominating or controlling them, but in the sense of being able to produce a predictable outcome with your audiences.
You see, when presenting, anyone can produce results some of the time. But when you understand the rules of presenting, you will know how to produce results every time. And that's when you'll understand why mastering the rules allows you to rule over your results.

By Larry Barkan

Five Powerful Body Language Tips to Ace Your Next Job Interview

Getting a job in today's tough economy is hard. The current recession is characterized by unusually high levels of unemployment, which makes it harder than ever for the unemployed to get back on their feet and back into the workforce. There are too many people competing for too few positions resulting in a job search process that is often be brutal, depressing and all too often unsuccessful. 

It is not enough to be qualified and to have all the right references, you often need an additional edge to separate you from the pack of other job applicants. You can get this edge through effective management of your body language.
Many job applicants are sabotaging themselves because they are non-verbally communicating low confidence and low self-esteem. You need to focus on avoiding this in your next job interview.

To represent yourself successfully in a job interview you need to project an air of confidence and ability. High confidence sells while fear and doubt poisons the impression you make on others. A lack of confidence manifests itself in your body language and can ruin your chances in a job interview.

Recruitment firms around the globe are reporting that candidates, frustrated by seemingly endless job interviews and fruitless job searches, are displaying negative body language patterns that cause them to fail their interviews. After a string of failed job interviews many job seekers tend to fall into a death spiral and this can be deadly for your job search.

The job interview death spiral happens after you have had several unsuccessful job interviews. The failed job interviews cause you to lose self-confidence, which is projected through your body language during your next job interview, contributing to your failure, which of course deepens your lack of confidence. This spiral can lead you into despair and cause you to eventually give up completely on finding a job.

To prevent this death spiral from happening it's important to project confidence and avoid making a bad impression. Managing your body language and avoiding the most common body language mistakes is a very important part of an effective and successful job interview.

How important is body language? Research points out that up to 93% of the impact you have is influence by factors other than the words you use. It's not enough to say the right things, you need to non verbally back up your words with the right image and impression.

Try these five body language tips during your next job interview:

• Use a firm handshake - In the mind of most people weak and limp handshakes equal weak character. Be sure you deliver your handshake with a firm grip while looking them right in the eye.

• Watch your posture - There is a definitive difference between a confident posture and a posture that communicates low self-esteem. The best advice is the same your mother gave you, sit up straight (ramrod down your back) with your feet firmly planted on the floor. Again, slumping equals low self-esteem or even disinterest.

• Make eye contact - Regular, strong eye contact is associated with confidence, honesty and boldness. Making eye contact is vital.

• Monitor your vocal delivery - Experts estimate up to 38% of our communication is conveyed by our voice and vocal qualities, which means you need to pay attention not only to what you say but also how you say it. When we're nervous we tend to speak faster and at a higher pitch, which robs of our authority. Take a tip from the acting profession and practice speaking slowly and deliberately.

• Pay attention to the Interviewer's body language - In today's competitive job market being qualified for the job and having strong references is not enough. You need to convince the interviewer that you'll be a good fit for the company and its values. You do this by reading the interviewer's body language and responding appropriately. You need to show the proper amount of "social intelligence" and awareness to stand out from the other interviewees competing with you for the job.

So there you have it, five aspects of body language and nonverbal communication that will better your odds of succeeding in your next job interview. While having the correct body language might not win you the job, the wrong body language can definitely guarantee you won't.

By Steven D Chambers

Job Interviewing Skills - How to Mess Up Your Next Job Interview

A number of job seekers have a pretty good resume, however they can't seem to muster a good interview to save their lives! With fewer and fewer interview opportunities available, mastering the art of interviewing is a definite must. Learn from other people's mistakes and avoid these interview blunders: 

• 1. Not Being Ready To Answer Their Questions Well.

If you are like most job candidates, you may get uncomfortable during a job interview. One way to boost your confidence is to be prepared. Prepare yourself by practice interviewing with someone who will give you honest feedback. As you find areas that need improvement, you can make corrections on the spot.

• 2. Talking Negatives.

So, your last job really sucked. What ever you do, don't speak negatively about them. Negative or critical statements can be seen as a reflection on you. If you're asked about any former employer, be respectful in everything you say about them. Remember, negative comments during an interview never help. 

• 3. Talking Way Too Much.

A lot of Interviewers don't have a lot of extra time. They are going to ask you specific questions, and they usually prefer concise answers. If you provide them a rambling response, they may think you lack professionalism. A fantastic way to get ready to answer interview questions, is to practice how you answer standard interview questions right before an interview. This will help you to conduct a much more impressive interview.

• 4. Presenting Opposite Communications Styles.

It's essential to create an impressive first impression. A great way to do this, is by taking advantage of something called mirroring.

Here are a few examples:

•  If the interviewer talks slow and deliberate, so should you.

•  Match the interviewer's interests. If they have certificates and diplomas up, talk about education.

•  Match their posture and mannerisms.

•  Mirror their mindset and attitudes as closely as possible.

Interviewers will be attracted to people they feel comfortable with. The whole idea is to build a rapport with the interviewer.
Your great resume is just the beginning. Now you just need to perfect your interviewing skills. If you use the advice provided in this article, you can feel good about knowing that you'll be landing your next job soon.

By Mark Duin

Golden Tips to Launching Your Career As a Financial Advisor

They're no question that we're at a financial cross roads. Now more than ever there's a need for qualified financial advisors to help lead us down the path to financial security. These careers are not only lucrative but rewarding as well. It's important to understand everything that goes into becoming successful. Let's take a closer look at some important tips that should be followed when building your career.

Independence
With all the financial problems facing people today, there is no single best solution. By being independent of any set financial institution, you'll have the freedom to choose the right financial products to meet your client's needs.

Don't go it alone

While you should be independent of a specific financial institution, it's important to make sure you you're not totally along in your endeavors. There are several independent marketing organizations that will give you the training and tools required to succeed in this competitive business.

Build a referral network
Networking and word of mouth is the best form of advertising. By being referred by a friend, your clients will be more willing to trust your judgment. This is why it's important to team up with qualified professionals in your area.

Selling isn't import
Contrary to popular belief selling yourself isn't that important. It's all about positing and taking care of your clients needs. By satisfying your customers, not only will they keep coming back but they will tell their friends and business associates about the services you provide.

Ask the right questions
When meeting prospective clients, don't spend a lot of time talking about yourself and your qualifications. Instead focus your attention on your clients needs by asking the right questions. What are their goals? What is your risk tolerance? How do you feel about...?

Communication is key
Stay in touch with all prospective clients. It could take several meetings for them to agree to work with you. Don't be pushy. Many times this will turn people off. Always be polite and keep their needs in the forefront.

Start small
While it's true that you need to spend money in order to make money, don't go overboard when starting out. Try to keep your start up cost to under $500. Limit your risk in the beginning and then you can expand your business after it becomes profitable.

By Tim Bock

Job Search Success Tip - Narrow the Scope of Your Exploration

You're working in a job that doesn't offer you the kind of personal and professional growth you've been searching for. You're left unfulfilled, and even worse, you're beginning to dread going back to the office each day. You've been working with several headhunters, without success. You've been spending several hours a day reviewing job leads, submitting your resume, and trying to follow up on a timely basis. It seems like you're doing everything right - so what's going wrong?

Many job candidates who find themselves in an unfavorable situation like the one described, often begin to widen their search. They feel like perhaps if they are open to a variety of positions, they will be more likely to land something.....anything, that will get them out of their current situation. The truth of the matter is in order to gain faster results in your job search, you must narrow the scope of your target position.

What is a target job? Prior to looking at any prospective employment opportunities, it is important to set up the parameters of the search. To complete this task, the candidate must create a list of between twenty and thirty prospective employers that have an excellent reputation in their industry, and whom they would personally want to work for. After completing the list, the next step is to obtain the contact information for each of the hiring authorities responsible for staffing your area of expertise.

Why not just submit a resume through a website? In order to stand out from your competition in the market, it is imperative that you take additional steps to set yourself apart from "the pack." It is far easier to visit the HR website and perform a copy and paste of your resume. The problem with this is that every uninformed job seeker is doing exactly this. Your resume has between five and ten seconds of screening time with any recruiter or hiring authority. Considering the brief time frame you have to "wow" the employer, it's obvious the successful job seeker has to take steps above and beyond, to maximize their candidacy.

The secret is in the follow-up. By setting yourself up for a successful job search, you're placing yourself ahead of other employment seekers. Since you took the time to research the companies you are targeting, and obtained the hiring manager's name and contact information, you can easily follow up until you get either an invitation to interview, or a rejection letter. Never assume that because you have not received a call from the company, they are not interested in interviewing you.
Your resume could have been on a secretary's desk, and she misplaced it. Perhaps Human Resources' computer system crashed, and they lost all of the submission data on the date you sent your resume. Something could have happened that prevented the call, and your resume got lost in the shuffle. For this reason, it's important to remain diligent in your follow-up efforts, and they will pay off in the long run.
Manage your job search like you will perform on the job for the employer. When you're serious about obtaining your next position with one of your target organizations, you will naturally articulate this through your words, preparation, and actions.

Likewise, when you take a half-hearted approach toward a career search, you will not obtain the intended results, and consequently, end up spinning your wheels. Make every effort to effectively manage the employment exploration process through strategic planning and action steps, and you will ultimately land your next job in the most expedient manner.

By  Chris Archer

Get a Job! Tips for Organizing Your Resume

Whether you're a Vice President of Marketing or a recent college grad, your resume is the 'key' to opening the doors of employment. It is an employer's first impression of you and believe it or not, many hiring officials spend less than thirty seconds reviewing it. With only fleeting moments to make a first impression, it is imperative that your resume be organized.
Polish your shoes, practice your handshake, and take note of some tips for creating an organized resume that will catch the eye of even the most weary of HR associates:

• Start by sitting down with your old resume and a timer. Give yourself fifteen seconds to read it. How far did you get? Were you able to read the whole page? Besides 'getting your foot in the door,' your goal is to create a resume that can be scanned top to bottom in less than 30 seconds. It must be organized to punctuate your strengths and highlight your employment-related achievements. Next, give yourself another fifteen seconds but this time skim your resume as if you were the person doing the hiring. What parts stood out? Was it a bold or italic phrase? Was it a tabbed column of words or a dollar sign? Think about what words or sections jumped out at you, circle them in red, and use them within the body of your new resume. For another opinion, take a fresh copy and ask a friend or family member to do the same.
• On scrap paper, create a chart and write all of your past jobs across the top of the page. Below each job title list at least 2-4 duties/accomplishments relating to the position. Analyze each of those and ask yourself: Does this achievement have any relevance to the job I'm now pursuing? Will the reader of my resume be impressed by the money I've saved the company/the body of work I created/the skills I've acquired? If your answer is yes, the next step is to prioritize those duties and/or accomplishments.

For example, let's say you are an administrative assistant listing relevant duties and achievements from your last job. This is your newly-brainstormed, non-prioritized list:

• answered phone calls
• created and color-coded filing system to support VP of Sales
• coordinated supervisor's travel arrangements
• saved Sales department $12,000 by researching companies and switching office supply vendors

Now, take a moment to prioritize your list. Which description should be listed first? Which of the four will quickly catch the reader's eye? Depending upon the type of job you're applying for, if you saved your former company any money or increased their productivity in any way, that fact should be listed first.
Now read the list:

• saved Sales department $12,000 by researching companies and switching office supply vendors
• created and color-coded filing system to support VP of Sales
• coordinated supervisor's travel arrangements
• answered phone calls

Always position your strongest achievement first. Either they'll be impressed and move on or think 'Wow!' and continue reading directly below. An eye-catching first statement will positively affect every statement listed beneath it so choose wisely.

• Use Bulleted Lists. As opposed to a sea of text, a bulleted list focuses the eye to a specific area on the page. They are often used to highlight your accomplishments instead of hiding them within bulky paragraphs.

Example:
Saved Sales department $12,000 by researching companies and switching office supply vendors. Created and color-coded filing system to support VP of Sales. Coordinated supervisor's travel arrangements. Answered phone calls vs.

• saved Sales department $12,000 by researching companies and switching office supply vendors
• created and color-coded filing system to support VP of Sales
• coordinated supervisor's travel arrangements
• answered phone calls

Remember, one of your goals is to make reading your resume as easy as possible. The reader's eye will dart straight to the bullet and focus on what is written to it's immediate right. If you want to hold the reader's attention, use 'action words' (verbs) next to a bullet (see example above). Employing strong action words will assist the reader in visualizing you carrying out those tasks for their company.
To an HR official, an organized resume can be interpreted as the sign of an organized person. An organized person has the potential to have an organized desktop, organized file cabinets and organized work habits. These are skills and qualities that employers desire in an employee. If you can present a company/organization with an organized resume it will put you one step ahead of your less organized competition.
BONUS TIP:

• Do not make 100 copies of your resume until at least one other person has reviewed it for errors and inconsistencies. Five minutes of 'editorial prevention' can mean the difference between getting an interview or getting a rejection letter.

By Stacey Agin Murray